That type of support as such is already known. It receives the pre-expanded sleeve and it is threaded over the cylindrical element that is to receive the sleeve, which element has an outside diameter that is smaller than the inside diameter of the support. The support is removed from inside the sleeve by sliding over the cylindrical element so as to leave the sleeve on the cylindrical element while simultaneously allowing the sleeve to contract.
Particular cylindrical elements include terminal equipment and junctions for power cables. Naturally, the cylindrical element could be any other element which is to receive a protective elastic sleeve that contracts tightly onto the element.
Document FR-A-2 592 825 describes such a support. That support is constituted by a rigid tube of plastics material, with its outside surface covered over at least a fraction of the length of the tube with a film having a low coefficient of friction. The film may be a polyester film with a silicone coating, for example. It extends over the tube substantially from one of its ends, referred to as the "front" end of the tube. At said front end it is fixed against the inside surface of the tube, and on the tube it is free.
The elastic sleeve which is initially expanded onto the film-covered tube is subsequently put into place on the cylindrical element by backward sliding from the tube onto the element, with the sleeve being held in place relative to its position on the element. The sliding is performed by pulling on the "rear" other end of the tube, which other end, for this purpose, is advantageously not covered by the film. The tube is thus extracted progressively from within the sleeve which moves bit by bit directly into place onto the element while simultaneously contracting. During withdrawal of the tube, the film turns inside-out at the leading end of the tube between the cylindrical element and the sleeve that is in place and has contracted onto the element. The film is withdrawn by a corresponding additional rearwards stroke of the tube on the element.
In practice, such a support is usable for installing elastic sleeves that are relatively short and not very thick, since otherwise there is a risk of the film jamming or being torn between the cylindrical element and the already-installed contracted sleeve while the film is being withdrawn. It is difficult or even impossible to use when the sleeve is long and/or thick.